...had round one yesterday. This time, because of the ACDF, he did it from the back (posterior). A teeny bit more painful since it's through more tissue (feels like I got a karate chop on the upper back/neck) but so far so good. I am just hoping this works and I'll even be willing to do two cycles per year to keep the pain and numbness away.

I'd say that it helped a little bit. I was at a 7/10 in pain and now it's a 6/10 with slightly less frequency. I'm hoping the next two planned shots add to that. If not, I'm at a loss as to what to do next.

Did you have a new xray to see if any osteophytes are expanding? ALso ask your pain doc about an interscalene block lower down the root. see if she thinks it might help you. WHen you had back problems during summer were you "guarding" or made posture changes?

OOOh, what is an interscalene block? Never heard of that but am willing to try anything.

Nothing much changed this summer, though I've made the decision that when I change jobs again it will have to be one with less air travel. Yesterday I flew to El Paso and back, all in the same day, and today the pain was a 9/10.

I don't really have much for oral pain control right now. I called the Pain Mgmt doctor today and explained to them that I haven't treated with my primary care for this pain and they agreed to see me this Thursday. The doctor makes you sign an agreement that you will only seek pain medications from h im (which I totally understand) so that you aren't drug seeking with other doctors (or if you do he'll terminate care).

My main problem right now is vicodin works well for the pain and doesn't cause me to get loopy. But, I don't sleep well at all on vicodin/percocet (any type of codeine like drug). Not sure what the other options will be that will control the pain yet keep me going at work, etc.

Oh man, flying is a killer. I get increased pressure in my neck when I fly.

An interscalene block goes in the front of neck in the groove near your clavicle and between a couple muscles where they first pass. As the roots come out of the level in your neck they go right through this area. So instead of central canal its more at the lower part of the roots instead of the areas the ESIs reach. Sometimes, injecting from that bottom direction upward helps the inflammation etc.

I have trouble with sleeping from the meds as well. I thought it was the tylenol in them. Good luck, stick to what works. Recently I have been through about 5 different combinations of meds with my new pain doc and keep going back to vicodins/percs because of worse side effects from the other meds. I think I would rather not sleep than be loopy and drunk like.